Ticket issuing machine



March 22, 1960 c. F. WEBB TICKET ISSUING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 13, 1955 INVENTOR CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK WEBB March 22, 1960 c. F.WEBB 2,929,644

TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORCHRISTOPHER FREDERICK WEBB March 22, 1960 c. F. WEBB 2,929,644

TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORCHRISTOPHER FREDERICK WEBB March 22, 1960 c. F. WEBB 2,929,644

TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Filed Jan. 13, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK WEBB ATTORNEYS struct'ed in in a ticket exteriorof the machine, while a second ticket is disposed United States PatentTICKET ISSUmG MACHINE Christopher Frederick Webb, London, England,assignor to General Register Corporation, Long Island City, N.Y., acorporation of New York Application January 15, 1955, Serial No. 431,690

Claims priority, application Great Britain January 28, 1954 4 Claims.(Cl. 282-16) This invention is for improvements in or relating to ticketissuing machines of the type in which a web of material is fed inuplicate from a supply thereof in such a manner that one web is exposedthrough an aperture in the face of the machine and arranged to bewritten upon, while a duplicate web is fed beneath duplicating material,the two webs being thereafter fed so that the exposed web bearing thewritten matter is delivered to the exterior of the machine, while theother web, carrying the duplicate record or" the exposed web, is fed toa storing chamber.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a machine ofthe type referred to which is more compact and simple in its operationthan machines of the same character hitherto propose According to thepresent invention, there is provided a portable ticket issuing machineof the type referred to, wherein the length, breadth and thickness ofthe machine is such as to enable it to be inserted into the normalwaistline pocket of an operators jacket and this, together with theweight tiereof, permits the machine to be clasped between the thumb andfingers of one hand of the operator and held in a position in which thatportion of the web of material is exposed through the aperture in theface of the machine is directed uppermost and free to be written uponwith the aid of the other hand of the operator, and wherein the web ofmaterial is arranged to be fed through the machine by the operation ofmeans actuatable by the operator.

There is also provided a portable ticket issuing machine of the typereferred to, wherein the mechanism, by which the web of material is fedin duplicate from a supply thereof so that one web is exposed through anaperture in one face of an external casing, while the duplicate web isfed beneath duplicating material and thereafter the exposed andduplicate webs are fed respectively to the exterior of the casing and toa storing chamber within the casing, is carried by a frame arranged topivot about the same axis as the sections of the casing pivot.

The expression tier et hereinbefore referred to is intended to includeany form of strip of material bearing written or printed matter whichhas to be issued in duplicate by an operator for the purpose of thecustomer or passenger retaining the written portion of the web ofmaterial, while the duplicate record is stored within the machine, whichcan only be opened, without damagdescribed with particular reference totravel tickets,'is

7 equally applicable for bills issued in restaurants, shops and thelike.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates in perspective a machine conaccordance with thepresent invention, whereis illustrated as having been delivered to thein the window of the machine in a position in which it can be writtenupon;

Figure 2 illustrates in, perspective a front view of the machine in anopen position, indicating the various portions of both the web and thefeeding mechanism.

Figure 3 illustrates in perspective a rear view of the machineillustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the spool upon which the record orduplicate web of material is wound;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing one end portion of the spoolalone; and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section looking at the near side of themachine as viewed in Figure 2, parts being removed for the sake ofclarity.

Referring to the drawings, the present invention comprises a portableticket issuing machine of the type in which a web of material is fed induplicate from a supply It thereof in such a manner that one web 2(Figures 1 and 2) is exposed through an aperture 3 (Figure 1) in theface 4 of the machine and is arranged to be written upon, while aduplicate web 5 is fed beneath duplicating material 6, the two webs 2and 5 being thereafter fed so that the exposed web 2, bearing theWritten matter, is delivered to the exterior of the machine (Figure 1),while the web 5' bearing the duplicate record of the exposed web 2 isfed to a storing chamber 7 (Figure 3.).

The length, breadth and thickness of the machine illustrated in Figure lis such that it is capable of being inserted into the normal waistlinepocket of an operators jacket and this fact, together with thecomparatively small weight of the machine, permits it to be clasped, asillustrated in Figure 1, between the thumb and fingers of one hand ofthe operator and held in a position in which the exposed portion 2 ofthe web of material, which can be seen through the aperture 3 in theface 4 of the machine, is directed uppermost so as to be written uponwith the aid of the other hand of the operator and where in theduplicate web of material, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, isarranged to be fed through the machine by the actuation of a handle 8(Figures 1 and 2) rotatable so as to drive a train of meshed gears 9,10, 11, 12 and 13 (Figure 3) which'insure that feed pin rollers 14' and15, adapted to engage with perforations i6 and 17 in the longitudinalside edges of the duplicate web so. as to feed the two webs of materialin such a. manner that one web 2 extends as illustrated in Figure l tothe exterior of the machine, while the second web 5 is fed upon a spool18 (Figure 3) mounted in the machine, so as to be disposed between thefeed pin. rollers 14 and 5.

The supply of duplicated web of material, as illusttrated in theaccompanying drawings, comprises a fan folded web of material, but itwill be appreciated that it could comprise a duplicated web of materialmounted upon a spool.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

A stack of fan-folded duplicated web 1 is inserted into the space i?disposed at the lower end of the machine beneath the feed pin roller 14and between side plates 24 and 25. The leading end of the duplicate web1 is fed upwardly between the rear one of the outer casing members and aspring loaded plate 29 pivotally mounted on a shaft 3-3 mounted inplates 24 and 25, and having rollers and a flange at the free endthereof. The web 1 is extended forwardly and reversely looped downwardlyover the flange and rollers aforesaid and then upwardly under thefeeding roller 14. The bias applied to the plate 2% is in a direction topress the Web into engagement with the surface of the feeding roller 24.The feeding roller 14- is provided at each end thereof with a series ofpins designed to engage with corresponding-perforations 16 and, 17formed in the longitudinal edge: of: the

duplicated web of material. The duplicate web is drawn upwardly and theleading portions separated from one another and respectively disposedupon opposite sides of afpiece:of duplicating material 6,' for examplecarbon paper, fixed in position by a bar 6. extending along the "loweredge thereof. Thereafterthetwo webs 2 and 5 are brought together andbrought into engagement with a series of pins mounted upon a pinfeedingroller dis- J posed atthe delivery-end of the machine. Disposedbetween the feeding p'in rollers 14'and 15 is a bearing plate 21positioned by means of ears 21 retained in slots 21" in the'side plates24 and 25, and arranged to support the duplicated web of material andthe duplicating material, while the exposed portion of the web is beingwritten upon. When the two webs are arranged in position, a frame 22hingedly mounted to plate 25 is swung and clamped in position, so as tohold the webs 2 and 5 of ma terial in contact with the pins and with thebearing plate 21, as shown in Figure 2.

The lower end 23 of the frame 22 is pressed into a partially circularformation so as to clamp around the surface of the feeding pin roller 14and thereby hold the .web of material in contact with the roller 14 insuch a 'manner that it will not become disengaged from the pins formedupon the said roller.

It will be observed from Figures 2 and 3 that the mechanism hereinbeforedescribed is carried upon two longitudinally extending opposite sideplate members 24 andv 25 which are adapted to pivot about the same hingepin 45 as the two rectangular dish-shaped mating members 26"and 27,which constitute the casing for the machine.

Referring particularly to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be observedthat the mechanism for issuing tickets from the machine can be raisedinto an elevated position relative to the longitudinal dish-shapedmembers 26 and 27 and held in that position by a latch which comprisesan arm 28 pivotally mounted to the inside of the side wall 26' of themember 26 and formed with a goose-neck slot 29 therein arranged toengage with a pin 30 mounted on the side frame 25, thereby holding themechanism in an elevated position to enable the machine to be loaded andunloaded.

Thedriving means for the pinions 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 comprise thehandle 8 which is connected to the spindle 39 of the pin feed roller 14through a bushing 40. The pinion 9 is mounted concentrically upon thespindle 39. The rotation of the handle 8 is arranged to cause the pinion9 to rotate the pin feed roller 14 and deliver the exposed portion ofthe duplicated web of material through the window 3 of the machine,while the duplicate portion of the web is fed beneath the duplicatingmaterial 6, whereupon the duplicated webs are thereafter picked up bythe pins of the pin feed roller 15, which is driven through the mediumof the pinions 10, 11, 12 and 13. The pinion 13 is fixedly secured tothe pin feed roller 15 and thereby adapted to drive the same and so feedthe duplicated web forwardly at the same speed as the pin feed roller14. The leading edge of the exposed web of material 2 is fed through aslot 31 at the top of the longitudinal dish-shaped member 27, while theduplicated record is carried over the pin' feed roller 15 downwardly atthe rear of the machine, where it is Wound upon the spool 18. Mountedupon the side of the frame plate member 24 adjacent to the handle 8 is astop 32, carried upon the free end of a spring 33 which, when themachine is closed, as indicated in Figure 1, extends through theaperture 44 formed in the longitudinal dishshaped member 26, the stop 32being provided to insure that the operator of the machine can only issueone ticket for each actuation of the stop 32 by the handle 8. Each timethe handle 8 approaches the stop 32 it acts to cam the latter out of itspath. Consequently, the operator scan, in. issuing single tickets,operate the machine extremely fast, without the danger of over feedingan unnecessary length of exposed web of material.

The aperture 3 formed in the longitudinal dish-shaped member 27 isprovided with a cover plate 36 pivoted about one edge thereof uponhinges 37 and provided at the other edge thereof with a catch 38arranged, when the lid is in they depressed position, to close theaperture 3 and present a substantially flush surface to the exteriorportion of the member 27. The handle 8 is provided with a bifurcated endwhich is pivotally connected to the bushing 49 fixed on the spindle 39so as'to permit the handle 8 to be swung downwardly and into aninoperative position as indicated by the dotted line 41 in Figure l,with the right-angled'hand portion 42 of the handle 8 extending throughthe slot 43 formed in the longitudinal dish-shaped member 27 of themachine.

Referring to Figure 4 of the drawing, there is illustrated in greaterdetail the spool or roller 18 for receiving the duplicated record of theexposed web of material previously referred to in Figure 3. The spoolcomprises a hollow cylindrical member 45, throughwhich extends for atleast a portion of its length a slot 46 adapted to receive the end ofthe duplicated record of the web 5. The spool is provided (as shown inFigure 5) at one end with detents 47, arranged to extend into apertures48 formed in a circular flange or plate 49 provided on a bushing 50,which is removably rotatably mounted upon a stud 50 carried upon theside member 24 of the frame of'the ticket issuing mechanism. The stud 50carries the pinion 11 of the train of gears 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, thesaid pinion 11 being mounted upon the said bushing and pressed intoengagement with the plate 49 by means of a spring washer 51. The otherend of the spool is provided with a spindle extending axially therefrom,

upon which is rotatably mounted a bushing 52 arranged to be seated in anaperture in the plate member 25 of the frame of the ticket issuingmechanism.

A compression spring 53 is arrangedto extend between a shoulder on thesaid spindle and the bushing 52, thereby providing means whereby whenthe spool in inserted in the machine, the notched end thereof is pressedinto detachable locking engagement with the plate 49 which, in turn,bears against the gear 11, which engages with the spring washer 51 andthereby frictionally mounts the spool relatively to the gear 11 Theabove construction is provided so that as the duplicated record of theexposed portion of the material is wound upon the spool 45 and increasesin diameter, allowance is made for any variations in the peripheralspeed of the web which would place undue tension on the duplicatingrecord of the exposed material.

A ticket issuing machine as set out above can be constructed so as toissue tickets substantially 3 /2 inches x 2% inches, the machine beingonly substantally 4 inches in width, 6 inches long and 1% inches thick,and if the exterior cover of the mechanism is made from a syntheticresin and the mechanism itself largely made from a light metal, thewhole device, together with the duplicated web, can weigh as little as14 ounces and is, there fore, easily accommodated inthe normal waistlinepocket of an operators jacket, which is substantially 6 inches wide and8 inches deep and can be easily held in one hand while entries areentered upon the exposed surface of the web with the other hand.

Thus, it will be seen that according to the present invention there isprovided a ticket issuing machine which is extremely simple and compactin its construction, thus enabling it to be made extremely light andsmall, so as to enable an operator to normally carry the same in hispocket and yet, without difiiculty, hold the machine in one hand whilewriting out tickets in the other.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable ticket issuing machine comprising a casing, meansincluding a pressure plate for mounting a web. of material within saidcasing, means including two pin feed rollers for feeding said web ofmaterial through the machine and out through an opening in said casing,said pin feed rollers being disposed at opposite ends of said pressureplate and so positioned that the pressure plate lies tangentially ofcorresponding surfaces of said rollers, manually operable means externalto said casing for driving said feeding means, and an aperature in saidcasing positioned over a portion of said web therein over said pressureplate through which said web may be written on by an operator.

2. A portable ticket issuing machine comprising a casing, meansincluding a pressure plate for mounting webs of material within saidcasing, means including two pin feed rollers for feeding said Webs ofmaterial through the machine and for feeding one of said webs outthrough an opening in said casing and for winding another of said Webson a storage spool within said casing, said pin feed rollers beingdisposed at opposite ends of said pressure plate and so positioned thatthe pressure plate lies tangentially of corresponding surfaces of saidrollers, said storage spool being mounted behind said pressure plate andbetween said pin feed rollers, manually operable means external to saidcasing for driving said feeding means, and an aperture in said casingpositioned over a portion of said web therein over said pressure platethrough which said web may be written on by an operator.

3. A portable ticket issuing machine comprising a casing, means formounting webs of material within said casing including a storage spool,means for feeding said webs of material through the machine, one of saidwebs being fed out through an opening in said casing and another of saidwebs being fed to said storage spool, said feeding means including pinfeed roller means, and a train of gears interconnecting said rollermeans and storage spool and operable for actuating said roller means andstorage spool independently of said Webs, and means for frictionallydriving said spool from one gear of the train thereof including arevoluble element, one end portion of said storage spool being carriedby said element,

6 and said one gear being mounted upon said element for shifting andturning relative thereto, and spring means for pressing said'one gearagainst said element for frictionally gripping the same for turning ofsaid element and storage spool.

4. A portable ticket issuing machine comprising a casing, means formounting Webs of material within said casing including a storage spool,means for feeding said webs of material through the machine, one of saidwebs being fed out through an opening in said casing and another of saidwebs being fed to said storage spool, said feeding means including pinfeed roller means, and a train of gears interconnecting said rollermeans and storage spool and operable for actuating said roller means andstorage spool independently of said Webs, and means for frictionallydriving said spool from one gear of the train thereof including a studelement, a bushing element removably revolubly fitted over said studelement, one end of said storage spool being detachably secured to saidbushing element, and said one gear being slideably revolubly fitted oversaid bushing element, and spring means for pressing said one gearagainst said bushing element for frictionally gripping the same forturning of said bushing element and storage spool.

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